The Covid-19 lockdowns and the continuing pandemic overall made us change a lot of our everyday habits, and shopping especially. We all have to be careful with where we go and reduce how much time we spend in public places to stay safe. In previous articles, we’ve shared helpful advice on how to reduce the number of shopping trips you take and how to tell if a store is not sanitized properly. This time, we’d like to tackle a topic that everyone will find useful every day, pandemic or not, showing 12 easy kitchen hacks that will help you extend the shelf life of your groceries.
1. To keep asparagus fresh and crisp for a week or more, cut the stems, submerge them in water like flowers, and throw a plastic bag over them before refrigerating, like this:
3. Turning a tub of sour cream or cottage cheese upside down can create a vacuum seal in the container, which will prevent the growth of bacteria longer
4. Submerging berries in a mixture of 1 part vinegar and 10 parts water, then draining and keeping in the fridge can extend their shelf life. The solution is too weak for you to taste the vinegar, but it can keep strawberries fresh for up to 2 weeks and raspberries for a week
5. Store ginger in the freezer. It doesn't just last longer that way, it also grates more easily. You won't need to peel it, too, since the skin dries down very thin
6. Potatoes can be stored with apples to prevent them from sprouting
7. Store leftover fresh herbs for months: simply squish pieces of herbs into an ice cube tray, top up with olive oil, and freeze
8. Storing salad this way will absorb and excess moisture and make it last all week. You can use a regular towel or washcloths in place of the paper towel, too
